Adventure Life Reviews In The News

Want to find out a bit more about Adventure Life? Check out some
of these great publications that have written articles about our tours.
Browse through these brief summaries or click on the links below to
read the full articles!

New York Times

The New York Times features our Great Wall, Dynasties & Rivers trip - "A new tour from Adventure Life allows travelers to explore China on foot, by bicycle and via kayak." The tour allows a unique and active experience of the culture, people, landscape, and history of China. Along with the New York Times, we are excited about this new trip that allows us to share more of the world with our travelers!

examiner.com

Chile Wine Adventure - Three appealing words. Also, the name of this amazing tour!
The Examiner states, "Explore the best of Chile's Santiago Valley on this active wine and cuisine adventure. The folks at Adventure Life have put together a week-long tour of the region, including biking through vineyards, trekking in the Andes, culinary tasting experiences and of course spectacular sightseeing."
See all of the details of our Chile Wine Adventure.

Luxury Travel Magazine

This article states that, "Numerous 'hot spot' travel destinations for 2015 wouldn't have even been considered a decade ago..." Colombia is among this list of seven destinations, and Adventure Life's Colombia Quest tour is the magazine's featured trip to the country.
See all the details of the Colombia Quest trip.

National Geographic Traveler

Adventure Life's "Undiscovered Brazil" tour has been named one of the "50 Tours of a Lifetime" by National Geographic Traveler! This is quite an honor, and we are thrilled that this trip received such highly-esteemed recognition.
See all of the details of our Undiscovered Brazil tour.

Active Times

"Uruguay is home to many historic family ranches that date back to times when gauchos and grazing cattle could be found scattered among the country's green pastures and rolling hills. Outfitters at Adventure Life offer tours through the area's scenic landscapes, focusing on the 'estancias'..."
Want to horseback ride through Uruguay? See the trip details here.

Los Angeles Times

"Epeditions to Antarctica usually begin with a tough crossing of the Drake Passage...It can be a perilous crossing that passengers dread, but it doesn't have to be that way. Tour company Adventure Life organizes expeditions that let passengers skip the crossing and fly instead - saving time and a white-knuckle trip."
The Antarctica Air Cruise is a great option for travelers!

The National

"April is the final month of the dry season in Nicaragua, making it the ideal time to head off for an outdoor adventure in the country's rainforests and mountains...travellers looking for a trip that is affordable and off the beaten path are urged to go now before it's too late."
See the details of the Discover Nicaragua.

Luxe Beat Magazine

"Getting to the Great White Continent is an adventure in itself...I booked my cruise with Adventure Life because of its reputation in the
industry for working with top polar voyage leaders..."
See the details of Debbie'sAntarctic Explorer expedition.

BBC

BBC recommends Adventure Life's Choquequirao trek as an off-the-beaten-path destination that has so much to offer travelers.
The article explains, "It makes sense, then, that Choquequirao draws only about 30 people a day...Compare that to the 2,500 people who arrive each day at the famed Incan city of Machu Picchu. But for those who make the strenuous journey, the rewards are plentiful..."
See the details of the Choquequirao Trek.

Backpacker

Choquequirao is in the news AGAIN! Backpacker recognizes the urgency of visiting this special site.
"...the best way to see Peru's 15th-century Incan ruins without the crowds is on a four-day out-and-back to the Choquequirao settlement, an old Incan bastion of stone temples and structures atop a truncated hilltop. But there's a catch: You have to do it within the next year or so..."
See the details of our Choquequirao Trek.

Women's Adventure

"Get to know China just how you prefer getting to know any part of the world: by bike, trail, and boat...This Adventure-Life trip is a great way to explore China's diversity, challenge yourself, and encounter the people and lifestyle of various ethnic groups found in China."
See the details of this trip here.

Vacation Idea Magazine

Check out Adventure Life's "Baja's Whale Bounty" cruise featured in Vacation Ideas Magazine.
The article states, "While you explore Baja California on your honeymoon, you will get a chance to snorkel, go on scenic hikes, kayak and have romantic picnics on the beach."
See the details of this trip here.

Epicure & Culture

"Food loving travelers, rejoice! If you want a guilt-free way to enjoy the best wines, seafood and regional cuisine around the world, chose from these food-fitness safaris, active trips that will have you burning calories without even realizing it."
Enjoy food & activity on our Living Maya Experience tour.

TwinCities Pioneer Press

"Although Choquequirao is of a similar scale and design as Machu Picchu, relatively few people have heard of these 15th century ruins nestled in the Salkantay Mountain Range...The journey is not for the faint of heart...If you're up for the challenge, Adventure Life offers a 12-day Choquequirao Trek and Machu Picchu tour.

examiner.com

"Adventurous travelers who'd like to beat the crowds to the two ruins can see them before the trams open, thanks to trips offered by...Adventure Life."
Learn more about the Chachapoyas Discovery tour and the Choquequirao Trek.

SFGate

"A planned cable car to the fortress ruins of Kuelap, built by the Chachapoya in the northern Amazonas region, could bring thousands to the remote site. Consider going now with an outfitter such as Adventure Life, which leads a nine-day Chachapoyas Discovery tour.

Travel Age West

"Travelers looking to immerse themselves in the flora and fauna of the Sierra Norte mountains (and strengthen their quads along the way) will enjoy the Oaxaca Hike and Bike tour from Adventure Life."
Learn more here.

The Province

"My senses and memories reeling, when I boarded my return flight from Tuxtla Gutierrez, I felt very disoriented. My week in Chiapas was heady, thrilling, a total and rich escape from my modern everyday existence..."
Read Irene's article here
and learn more about these Mexico tours.

Inc.

"We've all had vacations or adventures that sparked the fantasy: 'If this were my job, I could do this every day.'...With Adventure Life...Brian Morgan converted that fantasy into a firm that's allowed him to pursue passion and profitability simultaneously."
Adventure Life was chosen by Inc. & Staples as the featured small business for this inspirational video!
Watch the video on the Inc. website or the Staples YouTube page.

Travel Age West

Brian Morgan, Adventure Life CEO, is honored to be named one of the "Top Travel Agents in the West 2014" for Mexico, Central and South America!
Visit Adventure Life here.

Travel + Leisure

Travel+Leisure A-List: Top Travel Advisor

Published: August 1, 2014

For the fourth consecutive year, Travel + Leisure selects Adventure Life's Brian Morgan as the go-to advisor for travelers looking to take a Galapagos trip. Travel + Leisure editors evaluated hundreds of travel agents and picked their favorites for the annual A-List of Top Travel Agents. Adventure Life is honored!

Travel Channel

"'I think the issue isn't so much more visitors as it is more uneducated visitors,' says Jonathan Brunger, secretary on the board for the International Galapagos Tour Operators Association (IGTOA) and general manager of Adventure Life, a sustainable travel company that arranges trips to the region. 'The more the tourism industry here lowers its standards--such as by offering cheaper price points and making it easier to arrange travel on your own--the more you run the risk that the travelers themselves are not caring to book through responsible tour operators, but rather just going it alone.'"
See Adventure Life's Galapagos tours.

Travel Channel

"The Galapagos Islands are a bucket-list destination for good reason: Thanks to a lack of natural predators, friendly wildlife such as playful sea lions and gigantic sea tortoises let visitors get up close and personal...Adventure Life is a sustainable travel company that books" trips to the Galapagos.
Read more about these Galapagos tours.

Inc.

Adventure Life has made the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing private companies in America for the third time. The Inc. 5000 list for 2014 ranked Adventure Life as #4 for "Top Montana Companies," as well as recognized the 59% growth of the company since 2010.
See the Inc 500 stats here, and learn what our company is about at our website.

San Francisco Chronicle

"Mexico has captured the spotlight as a model for sustainable adventure tourism growth. Given the remote locations where some of the best opportunities await, and the difficulty of transporting equipment - especially if you want to pursue more than one type of activity - tours can provide adventures that would be challenging if not impossible to manage on your own."
Read more about Mexico adventures.

Wall Street Journal

"For a taste of Machu Picchu as it was before the hordes arrived, head to the lesser-known but still breathtaking city of Choquequirao... Don't dally, though. The government has announced plans for a tram line that could open Choquequirao up to the less-mobile masses as early as 2016. Montana-based Adventure Life organizes private trips to Choquequirao..."
Read more about the Choquequirao Trek.

New York Times

"As if tracking black rhinoceroses through the African wilderness might not be exciting enough, a new safari from Adventure Life, the tour company, has ramped up its usual tour through Namibia, adding an overnight hike through a desert, sea kayaking in the Atlantic Ocean, options for cooking classes and mountain biking and a meeting with an ancient tribe to the itinerary..."
Read more about the Namibia Adventure tour.

Boston Globe

"Costa Verde of Brazil, a 10-day tour, explores the rain forest, mountains, beaches, and remote islands south of Rio de Janeiro. Includes Ipanema and Copacabana beaches, Corcovado Mountain's Christ the Redeemer statue, Sugarloaf Mountain, colonial town of Paraty, coastal town of Angra dos Reis, and more."
Read more about Brazil tours.

Chicago Tribune

"When you think Brazil, you're likely to think of Rio or the Amazon. Adventure Life's Lencois Maranhenses Trekking trip throws in a new twist: hiking across the sand dunes of Lencois Maranhenses National Park."
Read more about Brazil tours.

Tampa Bay Times

"If you're up for the challenge, Adventure Life, named one of National Geographic's "Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth," offers a 12-day trip that includes visits to both Choquequirao and Machu Picchu."
See all Peru adventures.

Tampa Bay Times

"Adventure Life offers more than a dozen excursions that let you experience Brazil your way, whether you want to play The Girl From Ipanema on Rio's famous beaches, trek through the jungle, get up close and personal with crocodiles at the Caiman Ecological Refuge, gape at the gushing glory of Iguazu Falls, or cruise the heart of the Amazon."
See all Brazil adventure options.

Dallas Morning News

See here the top five travel recommendations for 2014, including Adventure Life's Brazil tours and the Choquequirao Trek in Peru.
"If you want to see Choquequirao before it hits the big time, be forewarned: The journey is not for the faint of heart. It's a two-day hike each way involving steep ascents..."

Travel + Leisure

Travel + Leisure A-List: Top Travel Advisor

Published: August 15, 2013By: Editor

For the third consecutive year, Travel + Leisure selects Adventure Life's Brian Morgan as the go-to advisor for travelers looking to take a Galapagos cruise and Peru tour. Travel + Leisure editors evaluated hundreds of travel agents and picked their favorites for the twelfth annual A-List of Top Travel Agents. We are honored!

Outside Best Places to Work

Four-time honorees, Adventure Life once again takes home the title of one of Outside Magazine's Best Places to Work!

For our 2013 list of the best places to work in the United States, free ski passes, unlimited vacation time, and exotic trips are just the tip of the iceberg. We found a staggering number of companies that understand the road to success depends on a work-life balance; a healthy, active staff; and a willingness to give back...

Entrepreneur

"...To accommodate and encourage cyclists, Adventure Life has outfitted their office space with bike-friendly facilities.

Covered bike racks, showers for staff to wash up after their commute and tools and bike pumps on site for commuters to do fast repairs make cycling to work more appealing. Adventure Life also offers a communal bike which can be used by staff who want to pick up lunch or commute to an off-site meeting rather than driving or taking a taxi..."

Travel + Leisure

For the second year in a row, Travel + Leisure, has selected Adventure Life's CEO and Founder, Brian Morgan, as the go-to trip planner for Galapagos and Peru travel. Thousands of travel experts worldwide are screened for the exclusive A-List, making it one of the most reputable collections of travel specialists in the industry. We are honored!

Travel Weekly

2013 Travel Weekly Magellan Award

Published: October 1, 2013

Adventure Life is honored to receive Travel Weekly's Magellan Award which recognizes a high standard of excellence within the travel industry.

USA Today

USA Today features our Nicaragua trips and Colombia tours as great places to keep on your radar for 2013 travel.

Colombia
"...Adventure Life, for instance, is introducing not one, not two, but three new itineraries to Colombia in 2013 that include mountain-biking through the lowland tropics, old colonial towns, and coffee plantations, rafting the white water of the Chicamocha Gorge, and hiking..."

...Set on a palm-fringed, white-sand beach, Victoria House is a place where you can both chill out together and get your adrenaline pumping. Adventure Life, a sustainable travel company, lets you book your stay and choose between a selection of a la carte activities such as cave tubing, kayaking, visiting Mayan ruins and parasailing...

Outside Magazine

For the third time, Outside Magazine has named Adventure Life as one of the Best Places to Work in the nation. We are honored!

"We're thrilled to celebrate all 100 of these forward-thinking companies," says Michael Roberts, Senior Executive Editor of Outside. "They believe success depends on helping their employees live more active and fulfilling lives. The kinds of benefits they're providing--free fitness classes, flexible hours, subsidized healthy meals, lots of time out of the office--result in a more productive and engaged staff."

Forbes

Polar Bear Safari and the Northern Lights - With Adventure Life you are flown via private charter to the Arviat Polar Bear Cabins, placed for best possible viewing and polar bear encounters. Two full days are spent with local Inuit guides, who know the bears' daily life and behavior, and that they are almost always friendly. Camp is located where the most stunning and colorful Northern Lights viewing occurs at sunset. The itinerary also includes attempting to find a 400,000-strong local Caribou herd by checking their coordinates.

Endless Vacation

Eight trips that offer a way to give back, from digging for dinosaur bones in Texas to planting trees in the Galápagos...

COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK, ECUADOR
Adventure Life
Travelers split their time between adventure and volunteer activities while staying in Cotopaxi, an 83,000-acre park in central Ecuador. A typical day may start with zip-lining through a temperate forest and riding horses with chagras (cowboys) and continue with an afternoon spent planting trees and clearing trails. At night guests retire to hacienda-style houses with wicker furnishings, fireplaces and hillside views.

CNN Travel

...For close encounters of the furry, feathered, or scaly kind, there's no place on the planet quite like the Galapagos Islands.

"You just see some of the craziest things," said Jonathan Brunger, operations manager for Adventure Life, a Montana company that arranges trips to the region.

"While you're out snorkeling, the sea lions will come out and swim with you. ... You feel a little nibble on the end of your flipper, you turn around and there's this sea lion wanting to play with you, wanting you to chase it.

"Other times, they'll come up to your face and they're looking at their own reflection in your snorkel mask."...

The Herb Companion

From medicines and foods to the richly hued textiles for which it is famous, herbs are in use everywhere in this ancient land. The best way to appreciate Peru is to cultivate an appreciation for complexity. Occupying a large chunk of South America's western side, Peru has been home to some of the world's oldest known civilizations and is now a representational democracy working to establish itself economically and politically...

...If You Have Wanderlust
For herb lovers who find Peru's enticements irresistible, National Geographic Traveler has recognized Adventure Life as one of "The Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth." The company offers trips to Peru that focus on the nation's herbs, as well as the major historical attractions

Travel + Leisure

Adventure Life's Brian Morgan is selected by Travel + Leisure A-List as one of the world's best agents and operators for the Galapagos and Peru.

T+L evaluated thousands of agents to come up with this highly selective list of the best in the businesses... With a wealth of expertise, these power brokers are the most informed and connected in the travel industry...Galápagos
Brian Morgan
Excited About: The new eco-conscious cruise regulations, which will help protect the area's natural wonders. The standards stipulate that no operators may offer tours of longer than 15 days.
Years as Agent: 12.
Other Specialty: Peru.

The Washington Post

The Washington Post reviews Adventure Life trip in their What's the Deal feature that highlights the best travel bargains around the globe.

...Adventure Life is offering half-off the companion fare on select 10-day Vietnam cruises. Rates start at $6,235 per person double, including taxes. For example, on the Nov. 18 cruise from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, two travelers pay $9,353 for a double suite, including taxes, down from $12,470 for two. Deal is available on cruises departing Nov. 18, Nov. 27 and Dec. 6.

"Adventure Life's eight-day "Machu Picchu 100th Anniversary Celebration," led by local guide Marcos Palamino, includes attendance at the centennial anniversary and an exploration of the Sacred Valley..."

MSNBC

Adventure Life is featured by MSNBC and Budget Travel as their operator of choice to visit treasured Antarctica.

"...Tourism is both bane and boon: it can add strain to already distressed areas, but it can also provide income, which in turn can help preserve these wonders. We spotlight 10 areas under threat -- some lesser known than others -- that can still be visited responsibly. Should you decide to plan a journey, we've recommended our favorite tour operator for each destination. In some cases the price tag may be higher than your average vacation, but consider it an investment in Mother Earth...

"...Adventure Life has a 10-day cruise through the Drake Passage and along the Antarctic Peninsula on a former oceanographic research vessel. The trip includes viewing many species of penguins, whales and icebergs by Zodiac, and a visit to a scientific station..."

Outside Magazine

Adventure Life tour reviews in Outside Magazine's 2011 Best Trips Issue. We are so pleased to have our Andean Multisport make the Machu Picchu Host List. Outside writes:

The Inca ruins are South America's most iconic and popular tourist site -- for good reason. But, that doesn't mean you have to experience them like everyone else... On a new ten-day multisport trip with Adventure Life, travelers visit Machu Picchu and Ollantaytambo, but also mountain-bike, camp, soak in hot sprints, and raft the Class III-IV Apurimac River.

USA Today

USA Today continues to feature Adventure Life in their travel tips section. Here are recent highlights for Costa Rica, Peru and Galapagos!

Pacific Northwest Adventure Cruises
by Susan Sedgwick
Puget Sound Cruise
Adventure Life Voyages offers a cruise through the Puget and Howe Sounds with stops in Seattle, Vancouver and Victoria city on Vancouver Island, as well as the San Juan and Gulf Islands. Highlights include a tour of Vancouver's Stanley Island and the Capilano Suspension Bridge, a visit to Nanaimo, a historic island that was once home to the Hudson Bay Company, a trip to Victoria's famous Butchart Gardens and walking tour of Port Townsend's Victorian seaport.

Peru & Galapagos Tours
by David Thyberg
..."Frommer's Travel Guide recommends Adventure Life, a US company specializing in South American tours. Choose from options including organized mountain biking, rafting and rain forest eco-lodge expeditions. This organization has non-profit ties aimed at giving back to local communities..."

Costa Rica Eco Tours
by Barbara Dunlap
..."Adventure Life has more than a dozen eco tours in Costa Rica, each with its own focus. On some tours, you take a cruise ship; on others, you stay active with zip-lining, snorkeling, rafting and kayaking. The Pura Vida trip focuses on the rain forest, with visits to the Pacuare River and the Arenal Volcano; Wild Costa Rica lets you enjoy the renowned biodiversity of the Osa Peninsula and Corcovado National Park. Most Adventure Life tours last eight or nine days. Adventure Life 1655 S. Third St. W. Suite 1 Missoula, MT 59801 800-344-6118 adventure-life.com..."

Machu Picchu & Galapagos Tours
by T.L. Chancellor
..."On this tour, explore Incan ruins and see Charles Darwin's inspiration for his theory of evolution, the Galapagos Islands. This guided tour begins in Cusco, Peru, which is located in the Sacred Valley. Shop and explore. Next, spend two days among the ruins of Machu Picchu to learn about Andean traditions and the Incan people. During the Peru phase of the tour, there will be some down time to shop and explore the city of Cusco, The tour then moves to Ecuador for a cruise of the Galapagos Islands. During the cruise, the tour will visit between eight and 10 islands. A boat will ferry travelers ashore to explore each island. Take photographs of the islands' animal life, such as iguanas and the sea lions that live in this national park. The tour takes 16 days. Adventure Life 1655 S. 3rd St. West, Ste. 1 Missoula, MT 59801 800-344-6118 adventure-life.com"

New York Times

...As if dodging gunfire and improvised explosives isn't stressful enough, military personnel like Major Barker are using their time off to pursue strenuous and adrenaline-charged activities, and some tour operators are offering packages specifically designed for them...

...For his midtour leave, which he took in January, Sergeant Cutting went on a rafting trip down the Futaleufú River in Chile, organized by Adventure Life. Besides rafting, the trip included mountain biking, horseback riding and zip-lining. "I wanted to push the limits," he said. (Not that he was roughing it the entire time: the camps where he spent his evenings had fully stocked bars and massage therapists.)...

The Boston Globe

The Boston Globe features our Ecuador Service Project that combines a chance to explore Cotopaxi National Park with lending a helpful hand to nearby community projects in the region.

Bike 12 1/2 miles into Cotopaxi National Park, and then post signs that tout leave-no-trace ethics and warn against illegal hunting. Or go ziplining through the canopy at Hacienda Santa Rita Ecological Reserve and help with trail maintenance. This five-day Ecuador trip, run by Montana-based Adventure Life, blends adventure experiences with volunteer conservation efforts. You start with a horseback ride among herds of wild horses to the foothills of Rumiñahui Volcano, led by guides who will tell you about the area and its medicinal plants. Then spend three nights at the Hacienda El Porvenir, around which you will plant trees as part of a reforestation initiative.

Bloomberg

At a time when most independent travel agencies are struggling as travelers increasingly make reservations themselves online, Adventure Life is flying. That's because the Missoula (Mont.) agency isn't trying to compete with major travel booking sites, such as Orbitz, Expedia, and Travelocity. Instead it's catering to American travelers who want to do more than just book a vacation: They want to have a meaningful adventure.

By focusing exclusively on tours in Latin America and cruises on small ships around the world, Adventure Life aims to provide experiences that delve into foreign cultures and help customers connect with local people. "What we're doing is different. You can't buy a specialized, guided trek on the Inca Trail on Orbitz. The big travel consolidators don't want to bother with the very specialized itineraries that we do," says Chief executive Brian Morgan, 37, who founded the business after spending a year working for a humanitarian group in Ecuador. "The travel industry builds its commission into retail pricing, but recently that commission has gotten smaller and smaller, because the industry is operating like a commodity."
Read the complete article

National Geographic Traveler

Adventure Life's Bolivia Backroads + Oruro Festival trip was selected by National Geographic Traveler as one of their Tours of a Lifetime. Truly a unique and special trip, we're so please with the feature.

We're traveling again. Tour operators are reporting big spikes in inquiries and bookings. But an uncertain economy, ongoing wars, and the fragile health of the planet have, perhaps permanently, reordered priorities. Travelers now seek more perspective, meaning, and challenge. They want to see the unvarnished reality of a place, not just the fantasy. Outfitters have responded by dialing down the luxury and refocusing on core offerings. Their itineraries are more innovative and experiential--aimed at developing lasting connections between people. Here are 50 of the world's best guided tours for 2010, as chosen by the editors of National Geographic Traveler magazine.

...Kicking off with Carnaval de Oruro, Bolivia's most spectacular festival, this journey immerses you in local rituals that are still part of everyday life, such as baking bread in a traditional adobe oven at a working hacienda and shopping at the Tarabuco Market, where even the younger generation dons traditional ponchos, sandals, and headgear. There's action, too: Explore the salt desert and cap your trip with a climb up the 16,500-foot volcano Tunupa. Adventure Life: "Bolivia Backroads and Oruro Festival," CULTURE - VALUE

Outside Magazine

Outside Magazine features Adventure Life in their Falklands Island adventure! A great read. Check out a snip below or click here to read the whole article.

"It's in the middle of nowhere, populated by quirky sheep farmers, and just a footnote in British military history. But the world is finally discovering what Darwin found out 176 years ago: The Falkland Islands are one of the last great wildlife destinations on the planet...

...Montana-based Adventure Life offers three new land-based itineraries. Their popular Wildlife Week gives you eight days to get among seabirds, penguins, albatrosses, sea lions, and other interesting creatures on Sea Lion, Saunders and East Falklands Islands. The eight-day Falkland Island Life offers a mash-up of islands wildlife, history and culture on East Falkland, West Falkland and Sea Lion islands..."

National Geographic Adventure

We are so pleased to have our Peru Service Project trip featured in National Geographic Adventure's Best New Trips issue! Read a short highlight below, or click on the link to read the entire feature.

"Long before the term "voluntourism" became etched into the travel lexicon, Adventure Life Journeys was a model practitioner. For years, the Latin America-focused outfitter has made a point of incorporating meaningful volunteer work into each of its itineraries and employing local guides and lodge owners. Now comes perhaps its most compelling offering: a weeklong stay with Inca descendants in the Sacred Valley village of Cachiccata, followed by a trek to Machu Picchu..."

The Washington Post

...By the way, when researching hotels for this or any other trip, don't forget to check package deals offered by airlines, hotels and tour operators. You can sometimes save quite a bit. For example, Adventure Life, a Montana-based tour operator specializing in Central and South American eco-trips, offers a variety of air-hotel deals that beat the cost of booking the components separately, and the company will customize its packages to suit your schedule.

For Morrow's group of six or more, Adventure Life agent Marissa Jensen said she could modify an existing package to suit a six-night stay, starting with three days at Pook's Hill Lodge, a 300-acre property in the foothills of the Maya Mountains, and winding up at Ambergris Caye's stylish Victoria House hotel for three days of beach fun and relaxation...

Inc.

Adventure Life's president and founder, Brian Morgan, was interviewed by Inc. Magazine for their "How to Build You Dream Company" issue. Check it out -- he even made the cover! (That's Brian on the far right.)

...Morgan had just a couple thousand dollars in savings, though, so he accepted a software job and relegated start-up work to evenings and weekends. He printed 200 brochures advertising a single excursion and deposited them in coffee shops and sporting-goods stores near universities. No one called. Travel agencies waved him away. Concluding that travelers wanted more than one option, Morgan created a second brochure offering three itineraries with six departure dates. He also built a website, which looked like the work of an Amazonian howler monkey. Fortunately, a graphic design student redesigned the site a few weeks later. Drawn by the brochure and the site, 100 people booked the first year...

Outside Magazine

Outside Magazine declares what I've long known as true - Adventure Life is one of the nation's Best Places to Work! We are honored.

Family Affair: This international-travel outfitter's home is a modified flat that feels like, well, a home. Attire is decidedly casual (it's Montana), and parents can even set up a playpen next to their desks. "Going to the office and seeing my colleagues actually improves my day," says Brian Morgan, Adventure's founder and president. All employees can opt for compressed four-day workweeks and, once a year, take a free Adventure Life trip -- with a family member or friend to make sure it really feels like vacation.

"These 30 companies share a common belief: that the secret to success in any economy is empowering employees to live balanced lives and remain committed to their communities and the environment," said Michael Roberts, Executive Editor of Outside. "Our winners know that happy workers are good for the bottom line. So even in the current financial storm, they're offering on-site fitness classes and massage, reimbursements for gym memberships and ski passes, flexible hours, amazing travel benefits, and opportunities for on-the-clock community service."

Men's Fitness

For proof, take a look at Brian's online album that captures a few breathtaking moments on Mt. Rainier.

Brian Morgan, CEO of Adventure Life, shares the secrets of his health and fitness success.

...We all have dreams, but turning them from thoughts into action can seem tougher than climbing a mountain. To help you reach your goal, Men's Fitness mined advice from a guy who did just that: Brian Morgan, 36, a former couch potato, started his own adventure company after college that morphed into a multi-million dollar business, and recently conquered Mount Rainier....

Every Thursday I write about place I'd love to visit, if I had the time and the money. I just got an email from Adventure Life that has me drooling over a new 14-day northern Peru backcountry trekking tour.

Here is the email:

This tour journeys to the highest tropical mountain range on earth, with 50+ major summits of more than 18,000 feet. Travelers will spend two days acclimatizing, biking, rafting, and exploring in the mountain town of Huaraz before departing on the challenging eight-day trek. This expedition takes adventurers on an unparalleled alpine undertaking of towering peaks, turquoise lakes, flower filled meadows, and isolated villages seemingly lost in time...

guardian

For many the Falklands will always conjure up images of war, but today they are increasingly a venue for tourism. You can stay in friendly B&Bs, walk in the unspoilt wilderness and immerse yourself in the local culture. Then jump on board an eight-seater plane to explore neighbouring islands where, if you're lucky, you may encounter penguins, sea lions and orcas.

When? November to February

Book it: Adventure Life offers an eight-day island-hopping trip, including accommodation, all meals and domestic flights. International flights extra. Weekly departures throughout 2010

National Geographic Traveler

We recently received a letter from a reader asking for help finding a cruise across the southern Mediterranean along the coast of North Africa. She hopes to visit cities founded during the Roman Empire rich with remnants of the past. Here are three travel companies with excellent cruising options for exploring the region. All trips are education-oriented and feature prominent speakers and guest lecturers on relevant topics from archaeology to classical culture and language...

...AL Voyages offers two trips with similar itineraries named "North African Mediterranean Coast Through the Centuries" on the 114-passenger, all-suite Corinthian II. Both 18-day trips originate in Cairo, Egypt and end in Casablanca, Morocco. The tours visit important sites from antiquity such as Roman ruins as well as places that have figured more recently in world history like the World War II battlefields of Tubruq. Leading academics in the fields of archaeology and religion offer tours at the sites as well as on-board lectures. Trip price includes all meals, alcoholic beverages and land excursions.

National Geographic Traveler

Cutting Loose: Cruising the Galapagos Islands

Published: June 1, 2009By: Michael Stoneman

National Geographic Traveler UK

Lying 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands never fail to enchant those lucky enough to experience the archipelago's rich natural diversity and stunning indigenous wildlife...

...For Scuba Divers: While Galapagos tortoises, land iguanas, lava lizards and a huge variety of birds offer visitors to the islands plenty of wildlife to enjoy on dry land, there are even greater delights for those happy to take to the sea and dive beneath the surface. A seven-night cruise aboard the 100-foot 16 passenger M/Y Sky Dancer offers the best of both worlds. The custom-built dive live-aboard was launched in 2001, giving guests with scuba-diving qualifications the chance to do approximately 21 dives around the islands, as well as three land excursions. Although mostly drift dives along the cliff faces of offshore rocks and peninsulas, there are also night dives around Wolf and Darwin Islands, with a plethora of marine life practically guaranteed at each site, including turtles, dolphins and rays, as well as hammerhead and whale sharks. Contact Adventure Life www.adventure-life.com

Outside Magazine

Adventure Life is very pleased to have our Patagonia Wildlife Safari trip chosen as one of Outside Magazine's Best Trips for 2009. Recognized for its great itinerary and 'killer value' ... we couldn't agree more.

CHILE
Killer Value
Situated on the east side of Torres del Paine National Park, Adventure Life's new EcoCamp--a series of wind-powered, fireplace-equipped domes--is your launchpad for four days of guided treks. Highlight: an 11-mile round-trip to the glacial lagoon at the base of the granite towers of Los Torres. Bonus highlight: Colchagua Valley cabernet back at the dining dome. Trips leave between October and April.

National Geographic Adventure

Adventure Life is thrilled to be once again selected by National Geographic Adventure as one of the select "Best Adventure Travel Companies On Earth!"

For the second time in as many years, we've conducted an unprecedented survey of adventure travel companies, based on the idea that a traveler's most important decision is not always where to go but who to go with. For the 2009 edition, we spoke to more guide services--and their clients--than ever before.

Mens Journal

Finally, outfitters are getting creative with their Peru itineraries. Latin American specialist Adventure Life, for one, leads a multisport trip from Cuzco to Machu Picchu. American, Continental, and Delta have the most one-stop flights to Lima. When you arrive, check into Hotel Carmel in coastal Mira Flores. DAY 2: Fly to Cuzco, which sits at more than 11,000 feet, and spend the day acclimating. DAYS 3-7: The next five days are an adrenaline-fueled journey to Machu Picchu that includes hiking, whitewater rafting the Urubamba River, and a screaming mountain-bike descent from a 14,000-foot pass into a rainforest. DAYS 8-11: See Machu Picchu, soak in hot springs in the town of Aguas Calientes [now known as Machu Picchu Pueblo), and kayak Lake Titicaca, exploring its Floating Islands and staying in the homes of indigenous families.

National Geographic Traveler

This year, 2009, may be the best year ever to travel on a tour.
Like the rest of the travel industry, guided tour operators are trying to entice travelers with unprecedented discounts, freebies, and incentives. Tour companies that have never been known to discount are doing so. We've assembled some of the available deals below, but it isn't comprehensive. If you are interested in a specific tour or operator, don't be shy. Find out if the tour is full; if it isn't, there may be room to negotiate an upgrade, an add-on, or a break on the price. It's a buyer's market, and it won't last forever...

Adventure Life Voyages: $2,400 to $6,000 off Antarctic cruise

The company offers from 20 to 25 percent off its Antarctica, South Georgia, Falkland Islands tours, if booked by June 30, 2009. The departure dates are Dec. 18, Jan. 3, Jan. 29, and Feb. 14. The price for this tour ranges in price from $11,995 to $31,595, depending on the season and type of cabin.

ForbesLife

...On the third day, our fall through the rabbit hole of the Drake is complete and we are in wonderland. The water calms, and our first iceberg encounter is a half-mile-long, high-walled rectangular platform whose symmetry looks too exact to be real. The sun comes out and sends a silver streak across one side of it. Color returns to people's faces, and to the world around us. Even at a distance, the brilliant blue of packed ice glimmers... Adventure Life Voyages' 11-day trip on the Antarctic Dream.

Incentive

The travel company encourages its employees to enjoy the experiences that it sells to its clients.

If you are going to be enthusiastic about the company you work for, you should be familiar with the products it sells. That is no less true for Adventure Life, a Missoula, Mont.-based travel company that organizes outdoor tours throughout Central and South America. At Adventure Life, employees are allowed--in fact, encouraged--to visit the locations where the company sends its clients. Each year, they are given a $1,200 stipend to go on one of the company's many South and Central American tours and asked to keep a travel journal, which is put on the Web site for the benefit of potential clients...

...Adventure Life staff members can select from any of the company's many destinations, including the Galapagos Islands, Peru, Guatemala, Antarctica and a worldwide expedition cruise.

...Other programs and benefits that Adventure Life offers its employees include paying half the cost of a health club membership, a small education stipend, and flexible scheduling. New mothers are even allowed to bring their infants in to work until they're five months old. This allows moms to continue work instead of staying home with their child until the baby is eligible for daycare....

National Geographic

Riding the Hulahula to the Arctic: A Guide to 50 Extraordinary Adventures for the Seasoned Traveler

Published: May 20, 2008By: Shannon Stowell and Don Mankin

Published by National Geographic Books

Adventure Life has two featured trips -- our Hiking Galapagos and End of the World adventure -- in the upcoming book published by National Geographic Books as one of the top choices for seasoned travelers!

It's time to rediscover the fun and excitement of traveling off the beaten path. In Riding the Hulahula to the Arctic Ocean: A Guide to 50 Extraordinary Adventures for the Seasoned Travelers published by National Geographic Books, expert guides Don Mankin and Shannon Stowell offer both an inspiring collection of personal, often unique, experiences and practical how-to, detailing some of the world's best trips. In-depth narratives convey the rich allure of 26 destinations with lively anecdotes and specialized information, while concise descriptions highlight an additional 26 amazing trips, selected in a survey by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) as top choices for people over 40...

New York Times

Notwithstanding last month's sinking of an Antarctic cruise ship, climate tourism is heating up. And few places are warming up faster than the Northwest Passage, the Arctic sea route over Canada. Adventure Life Voyages (www.alvoyages.com), for one, is already booking cruises for its Northwest Passage tour next August, with prices from $4,600 a person.

USA Today

On top of the world: Adventure Life offers a 25-night journey through the Northeast Passage between Alaska and Russia. Clients are taken by icebreaker from Anchorage to Murmansk.

Looking for a life-changing adventure? How about a biking trip in Namibia? Or a rare voyage across the Arctic's Northeast Passage? USA TODAY looks at six of the most unusual adventure trips in the works for 2008...

...Outfitter: Adventure Life
Length: 25 nights
Details: Melting of the Arctic attributed to global warming is opening once-frozen routes to exploration, including the so-called Northeast Passage between Alaska and Russia. In this rare outing, the icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov will take clients from Anchorage across the top of the world through the Barents Sea to Murmansk. Stops include the uninhabited island of Kolyuchin and the New Siberian Islands, where, weather permitting, passengers will hike the tundra, explore old hunting camps and see the northernmost point of the European continent.

TravelGirl

Awe at the End of the World

Published: August 15, 2007By: Carole Jacobs

..."Most people hike the W on their own steam, carrying 30-pound packs up vertical boulder fields, pitching tents in gale-force winds and huddling inside makeshift shelters to heat a pot of water to cook dinner. Our group was going it the easy way with Adventure Life, a Montana based outfit that specializes in global outdoor adventures. Instead of being burdened with heavy packs, we carried only light day packs holding our lunch, water and raingear while our trusty guides, Kenneth and Roberto, and two additional female porters, carried the rest..."

"Adventure Life's eight-day Pure Patagonia Base Camp Trekking adventure is an active itinerary of massive glaciers, jagged mountains, glacier hikes and wonderful wildlife. Hiking each day is moderate to strenuous, and participants should be in good shape."

"Adventure Life encourages sustainable, low-impact travel in small groups averaging 8-10 guests. Trip leaders are bilingual and hold university degrees in anthropology, biology, botany and other related disciplines. Adventure Life runs several trips in Patagonia and other countries where the wilderness is the star."

Mens Journal

An Easy Icebraker

Published: July 1, 2007By: Mens Journal

The Northwest Passage links the Atlantic and Pacific and provides a shipping route between Europe and Asia.

The deadly, ice-packed Northwest Passage remained unconquered until Roald Amundsen braved the trip in 1906. Today satellite images suggest that the ice is retreating so rapidly that the passage could be a viable shipping land by 2050, making the Panama Canal nearly obsolete. Following Amundesen's route today (from Anchorage, Alaska, to Resolute Bay, Canaada) aboard an icebreaker with outfitter Adventure Life is more aking to a pleasure cruise. Highlights include passage through the roaring Beaufort Sea and the Victoria Straight, where Amundsen was stranded for two winters. In addition to watching whales, seals, and polar bears, travelers get a look at icebergs that, for now at least, are the size of several city blocks.

Outside Magazine

Two Years Running! This is the second year in a row an Adventure Life trip has made Outside Magazine's coveted "Trip of the Year." In 2006 our Argentina Northwest Trek made the list - 2007 honors our Hiking Galapagos trip. Explore some of the Islands' most remarkable regions, including snorkeling at Leon Dormido, Tortuga Bay, El Junco Lagoon and a hike to the rim of Sierra Negra volcano. Spend the nights on the Islands in comfortable hotels. This Galapagos tour is a great alternative to the traditional Galapagos cruise.

"Straddling the equator 600 miles off the west coast of Ecuador, these far-flung volcanic islands have been the focus of scientists and wildlife lovers since Charles Darwin first scratched his head here in 1835. Now that the Galapagos have become one of the most popular destinations on the planet -- 120,000 yearly vistors come to spy on the islands' famous giant tortoises, fur seals, and blue-footed boobies -- the Galapagos National Park Services keeps tight control on where boat passengers disembark and how long they spend at designated land and underwater visitor sites. The best way to avoid crowds?...Join Adventure Life's new nine-day hiking trip, with overnights in small inns."

USA Today

Itching for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure? How about the first commerical trek up Tibet's Tsangpo river? Or rafting in little-visited Montenegro? Or biking in Spain's vineyard-dotted Rioja region? These are just a few of the new offerings from adventure travel companies for 2007. USA TODAY's Gene Sloan offers a guide to five new itineraries:...

...Patagonia: Adventure Life's End of the World trip combines three days on an expedition ship, sailing glacier-fed fjords and corssing the Strait of Magellan, with a land-based exploration of mountainous Chile and Argentina that includes a stay at an eco-tent lodge.

USA Today

SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND, the Galapagos, Ecuador -- An hour into a
grueling hike through the scrubby, arid lowlands that cover much of
this island, Alfredo Meneses slows his pace.

"Keep your eyes out," says the 40-year-old tour guide, sweat
glistening from his brow as he scans the nearby clumps of silvery-gray,
lichen-covered palo santo trees. "We've just entered the kingdom
of the giant tortoise." ...

...Meneses, an Ecuador-born guide for Missoula, Mont.-based Adventure
Life Journeys, launched the first land-based tour in the Galapagos nearly
five years ago, a week-long multisport trip that included hiking, kayaking
and horseback riding. Soon other adventure companies followed. In the
past year, several also have added land-based all-kayaking trips. Now
Adventure Life is premiering the first all-hiking trip, the latest twist
in the growing trend...

Conde Nast Traveler

We are thrilled to have made Conde Nast Traveler's 2006 Green List
for our role as a Tour Operator practicing responsible and sustainable
travel. Read more in the September 2006 issue of Conde Nast...

"Adventure Life Journeys
ALJ operates trips in Latin America and Antarctica only and sponsors
(with additional donations from travelers) the Earth Family Fund, which
concentrates on three projects: a shelter for teenage mothers in Peru,
a community near the Inca Trail, and an Ecuadorian orphanage. In addition
to working exclusively with local guides and support staff, ALJ chooses
its destinations carefully, including a private reserve in Costa Rica
that has started its own nonprofit foundation and invented a wastewater-purification
system using water lilies. The company also prints brochures on recycled
paper with soy ink -- even though it raises costs by 20 percent..."

National Geographic Adventure

The 4.4-million-acre Manu Biosphere Reserve, in eastern Peru's Amazon
territory, has the highest concentration of bird species on the planet.
It is also home to tapirs, a dozen varieties of monkeys, and the playful
giant otter -- an animal hunted nearly to extinction elsewhere but still
thriving within the reserve. But Manu's most charismatic wildlife attraction
is a garish little bird called the Andean cock-of-the-rock; males famously
congregate for a bizarre mating ritual -- a sing off that may be the
animal kingdom's closest approximation of American Idol. Outfitter
Adventure Life has been leading guests to this spectacle for five years
and doing it in a way that gives back to the surrounding human and animal
communities. "We use local guides and transportation and family-run
hotels so that our Peruvian hosts can share the benefits of tourism,"
says the company's founder, Brian Morgan.

Expect high altitude (13,000 feet) in the cloudforest portion of the
reserve. Accommodations at Manu are comfortable and simple -- you'll
have your own bed and bath, but the electricity is on for only eight
hours a day.

The Washington Post

Hundreds of white coolers line floor-to-ceiling shelves inside a hot,
dimly lighted shed. The silence is broken only by what sounds like dozens
of fingernails scraping against Styrofoam.

Veterinarian Miguel Flores Peregrina listens carefully to discern which
coolers are emitting the scraping sounds, identifies three and open
the lids.

Inside, dozens of squirming newborn turtles, each smaller than the
palm of my hand, are clawing their way to the top of the sand-filled
coolers and trying to bash through the sides of the Styrofoam to freedom.
Like all sea turtles, these are born with a natural burst of energy
and an ancient instinct telling them to rush headlong into the sea...

...Volunteers at Mexico's Playa Las Tortugas can hold baby turles,
help measure females after they've come ashore at night to lay eggs,
and see new hatchings scramble in the corrals...

...Adventure Life has trips to Costa Rica's Pacuare Nature Reserve
or Tortuguero National Park in spring and summer. From San Jose, Costa
Rica, eight-day trips begin at $1,345 and include working with turtles,
white-water rafting and visiting a rainforest...

Outside Magazine

Every
year Outside Magazine lists the top trips from around the world. This
year we are happy to announce our Northwest Argentina Trek made the
honored list.

Amid the deep red gorges of Argentina's rugged northwest, aboriginal
adobe huts stand as reminders that this country's rich history far predates
the tango. This nine-day trip covers both past and present, fromt the
pre-Spanish Calchaquis relics in Quilmes to the up-and-coming wineries
of Cafayate. After a stay at ta comfortable bodega lodge, you'll embark
on a three-day trek through the Cachi Mountains, where you and your
packhorses will hoof it 29 miles up the Belgrando River Gorge to the
multicolored sandstone formations of the Pukamayu Vally.

New York Times

Travelers
who want to hike the Inca Trail to the stunning ruins of Machu Picchu
in Peru this summer should get a move on. To help protect the ancient
trail, the Peruvian government is enforcing the limit of 500 trekkers
starting the hike each day by requiring that tour operators submit the
names and passport numbers of their clients to purchase necessary permits...

Adventure Life, in Missoula, Mont., offers the Cachiccata Trek, a 10-day
backcountry experience that inludes four days of hiking that bypasses
the traditional Inca Trail on the way to Machu Picchu ($1,625).

"What has become known as the Inca Trail is what people refer
to as that four-day hike to Machu Picchu," said DarAnne Dunning,
a trip coordinator for Adventure Life. "But that isn't the only
Inca trail that there was. There were thousands and thousands of miles
of these trails in Peru."

New York Times

For
those who prefer to experience the flora and fauna of the Galapagos
without getting sore forearms or sand in their bedding, yacht tours
are the way to go. Listed below are package tours available for 2006.
All are 10-day trips, unless specified otherwise. The growing popularity
of these cruises, plus temperate weather, means that high season is
practically year-round. Cost-conscious travelers may want to take advantage
of the two brief low seasons, May 1 to mid-June, or mid-September through
October. Prices are per person. Air fare to Quito, the starting point
for most packages, is not included; meals are.

USA Today

Itching
for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure? Travel companies are rolling out
a wave of unusual itineraries for next year. USA TODAY's Gene Sloan
offers a guide to seven of the most exciting new adventure trips for
2006 (all prices per person, based on double occupancy):

Just about every major adventure travel company offers a tour of the
Galapagos islands -- by boat. Adventure Life's new twist? Participants
stay on shore -- in small hotels on three islands (a rarity, since
97% of the islands are national park).

USA Today

...Spurred
by recent Peruvian government efforts to enforce visitation limits on
the classic trail to Machu Picchu (no more than 500 people, including
porters, can enter the trail per day; on high-volume days, nearly twice
that many previously entered the trail) Adventure Life and other adventure
companies have been adding new treks across the region. They follow
lesser-used but no less spectacular Inca routes and visit little-known
Inca ruins...

USA Today

...While thousands of miles of Incan trails crisscross the mountains
of Peru, most major U.S. adventure tour companies only have offered
treks on the so-called "classic" Inca Trail that leads directly
to the famous ruins of Machu Picchu. Now that's beginning to change.
With the Peruvian government enforcing limits on visitors to the classic
trail, which has been plagued by overcrowding, firms are adding more
treks on "alternative" Incan trails connecting lesser-known
ruins. ....The Missoula, Mont.-based company this summer launched "Cachiccata
Trek: The Inca Trail Less Traveled," a 10-day trip that includes
three days of trekking on the Cachiccata Trail, a route that passes
the ruins of Chokekillka. The trip includes a stop at the ruins of Ollantaytambo
and a train trip to Machu Picchu....

New York Times

...Based
in Missoula, Mont., Adventure Life Journeys, (800) 344-6118 or www.adventure
-life.com, organizes trips ranging from 10 days to 23 days; the longer
trips include visits to the Falkland Islands and South Georgia Island.
A 10-night voyage aboard the 110-passenger Akademik Ioffe visits the
South Shetland Islands and the waterways of the Antarctic Peninsula,
focusing on areas with the best possibilities of viewing wildlife. Including
an optional overnight camping excursion, fares start at $5,390 a person...

San Francisco Chronicle

The
Costa Rica Pacuare Nature Reserve recently began accepting visitors,
and the US-headquartered Adventure Life is booking guests into the lodge.
Founded 13 years ago to protect and study leatherback turtles and green
turtles, the reserve accepts only six guests at a time, who work side-by-side
with reserve's biologists tagging and measuring adult turtles and finding
and moving nests to protect eggs from poachers...